Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-12
AMERICAN DRINKS IN ENGLAND.
Experience Of tho ~Amerfcan Barr Pro.
urietOr-The Mint .IuleD Sforx

Experience Of tho ~Amerfcan Barr Pro-
prietor-The Mint Julep Story.
@When I opened the American bar in
Liverpool, such thing as cocktail, sour,
julep, a cobbler, fizz, or even plain rye or
bourbon whiskey was something that had
been heard of but by few, and tasted by none,
among those who were to become my imme-
date and regular customers. Brandy and
soda, 'alf and 'alf, gin, hot toddy, porter,
and ale, were the favorite and only tipples, as
tley had been for untold generations. My
bar, backed by true New York display of
Offering glassware, plate glass mirrors, and
bottles of many colored liquids, with white
coated handsome young men ready to serve
the customers, in place of the traditional bar
maid, was fiocked to az if it had been mu-
scum of rare curiosities
"But my American drinks went begging.
The old time English beverages were still
good enough for the loyal Britons, and when
the persistent tips they rendered the bar
tenders were as persistently refused, it seemed
to appear to them as if the very bulwarks of
the nation were being assailed, and that the
throne itself was tottering. But By degrees,
as exigencies occurred which enabled me to
demonstrate to customers the efficacy Of
Yankee decoctiOns in cases of expanded head,
stomachic arrangement superinduced by a too
much prolonged dalliance with merciless
English tipples, and other physical and mental
disturbances which, am frank to say, would
ever have remained unknown had there never
been either American or other bar, they came
to recognize the fact that if there could be
any excuse for patronizing bar at all, it
could only be found in patronizing one where
Yankee beverages could be had. One prac-
teal customer, in referring to the coming
around of the British public to this stage,
said that it was as if they first depised, then
pitied. then embraced.
II had one customer who developed great
fondness for the mint julep. No matter
whether the weather was hot or cold, he
wanted his mint julep, and he wanted it with
amazing frequency. He was q man of con-
sequence, and l thought he would certainly
be able to appreciate an American joke as
we'll rs an American drink, SO one day re-
lated to him that bold but respectable anec-
dote about the man who went to Virginia,
before the war, and became acquainted with
b hospitable resident. The resident had plenty
of good material for conviviality, and the
visitor, having a recipe for the connecting OF
mint julep, thought that his host was vast
ing both stuff and opportunity in being
ignorant of the existence of tie julep. The
visitor found that there was fine bed of
mint on the plantation, and he led his host,
accompanied by jug and other ingredients,
to the spot There he brewed the julep and
captured the planters heart The visitor
taught the Virginian how to distn this here
tofore to him unknown nectar and in time
took his departure. A year later he had
business again in Virginia, and be lost no
time in hunting up his old host. He went tc
the plantation. His knock being answered |
by an old negro, he asked the servant for his |
master. |
"'Ol mars's dead, sah,' replied the old |
negro. Dab was white man come long |
h'yah bout a yea go an teach OF mars to |
drink grass in he lckah, an OF mars done |
gwan drink hissef to def, sah.'
II told that to my julep loving customer
to be rewarded with an appre |
ciative laugh. He was imbibing one Of his
beverages at the time. He quit drinking;
looked solemn, cast regretful look at the
mint in his glass, and went out and never
came back. He had taken the story literally |
and drew a moral from it at once. New
York Sun.